Paris - Zurich by TGV Lyria with Swiss Travel Pass

We are planning for a trip to Paris from USA and will go from Paris to Zurich by TGV Lyria train. We will purchase Swiss Travel Pass. We have a few questions -

1. As Swiss Travel Pass is only valid in Switzerland, should we buy a separate ticket from Paris to Basel, and the trip from Basel to Zurich will be covered by Swiss Travel Pass?

2. We need to make reservation for TGV Lyria train journey. How do we do the reservation? Should we have one reservation for Paris to Basel and another reservation from Basel to Zurich?

Thank you!

Hi Pumpkinpie17and welcome to MySwissAlps.com!

Yes, exactly, the Swiss leg of your journey is covered by the Swiss Travel Pass (without the seat reservation, as that is always a plus).

If you buy here, you can indicate that you have a pass. Click on the 'Discount cards and season tickets', then choose the 'Abonnomments CFF' and select Abonnement Général (AG) 1e classe or Abonnement Général (AG) 2e classe, depending on that you have a Swiss Travel Pass for the 1st or 2nd class. If you do like that, you can buy your TGV ticket directly from Paris to Zürich and the system won't calculate with the ticket for the Swiss leg.

Learn more here: www.myswissalps.com/traintickets/france.

I hope this helps,

Ildiko

Thank you so much Ildiko for the information.

We are also traveling from Paris but heading to Wengen. I have purchased our train tickets from Paris to Basel but had the understanding that we do not ned to pre purchase tickets for the rest of the trip because we have the Swiss Travel Pass. Once in Basel, we will then use our Swiss Travel Pass without the need for an advanced seat reservation. Is that correct? Thanks!

Your journey is different because you are only using the TGV to Basel. Once you alight from a TGV at Basel you are at Basel SBB, one of the four major 'hub' stations in Switzerland from where ordinary SBB trains run in many directions at up to half hourly frequencies, all of which are 'walk-on' trains of the Swiss national network and free to board if you are in possession of a valid ticket or Pass

Hi Meltcolorado!

Your understanding is correct. Once in Basel, your Swiss Travel Pass will take over and you won't need any additional tickets for Basel-Wengen: https://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass/howtouse. Seat reservations in Switzerland indeed are not necessary, except for a few panoramic and international trains: https://www.myswissalps.com/train/reservations.

Thank you!